King of the Beasts
by tyiro66
Summary: V is a jinchuuriki who has the king-of-the-tailed-beasts, Juunbi, sealed inside him. He's a prodigy and a former 15-year old Jounin ninja from the Hidden Mist. But when he gets involved with Akatsuki in an attempt to grow stronger he is drawn into situations that are both ridiculous(as is most life in the Akatsuki hideout) and fatal. Reviews are greatly appreciated so I may improve
1. The Beginning (Ch 1)

Standing nearly six feet tall, barely tall enough to see over the great boulder he hid behind for cover, Aaron Verdasco- who preferred to call himself V in order to avoid comments on his odd name- observed the well hidden entrance he'd been searching for. His raven's black hair was windswept from the endless desert winds, and his unreal dark blue eyes were red rimmed from lack of sleep. It wasn't the way he had wished to first appear, and he reckoned it would be in his best interests to rest before making an attempt at the entrance before him. The setting sun was hot against his back and further darkened his brown skin. V pulled his canteen out and drank sparingly from the minute amount which remained. Over the next few minutes V arranged a sleeping place, manipulating the sand into walls around him. Observing his handiwork V hoped it would do the trick against any passerby's, though he doubted it. More likely than not if one of the persons he was searching for went by he would need to know, in order to avoid death.

The sun set on V in his hiding place. He slept intermittently, regaining the strength he'd lost in the last few weeks of searching, and keeping an eye on the entrance. The entrance marked by a massive rock, taller than two men and just as wide; bordered by three red posts and labeled with an inscription on a white seal. The entrance to the only known Akatsuki hideout he could find.

V waited till the first rays of dawn broke the desert mountains to leave his hiding place. He sent out his chakra, searching for life around the stone; finding none he cautiously approached it. The seal was like nothing he had seen before, not surprisingly for his young age. V examined it closely, deciding nothing better than to wing it. He took a wild swipe at it with his kunai, leaving not even a scratch. Grimacing V stood back and shot a tongue of fire at it; the flames left no mark. Losing his cool V sent at the boulder itself with a number of both taijutsu and ninjutsu, leaving him panting and snarling at the unrelenting entryway. He pulled out an exploding tag and wrapped it around a kunai, throwing it at the seal. The explosion sent sand flying everywhere, noise echoing off the cliff walls, but nothing. He knew he was making more noise than intended but with his goal directly before him but untouchable; it was near unbearable. V struck again and again at the rock and its seal, tried breaking around it, going under it, and even over; but the place was sealed off completely.

His white shirt was soaked with sweat and he tugged at the high collar. The navy blue pants of his usual uniform worked to keep him cooler than he would be otherwise, but did little against the desert sun. V tore the sleeves off letting them flutter away in an attempt to cool his body down. Sudden noise brought him to a halt.

"What do we have here? How bothersome to have a brat scratching at our door."

V jerked around, his heart pumping. A tall half-shark man stood before him. "Kisame." _How did I not hear him? _

"Oh?" Kisame gave a half grin "You know my name? Perhaps I'll play with you before I kill you. Now then, did you think we would leave this place open to intruders so easily? Allow me to show you what is wrong with your plan." He pulled the massive wrapped sword from his back

"Hold on I want to speak with you, a member of Akatsuki." V held out a hand

"Brave works from a brat no bigger than an insect."

"I want to become an apprentice in Akatsuki." V stated boldly, figuring he had little to lose. If it came to a fight, he was confident he could escape. "I'll prove my worth in a fight if I have to, let me become an apprentice."

Kisame's half-grin became a full-fledged one. "Now this is interesting. Alright, Samehada and I will fight you, if you don't die than I'll see what I can do."

"I'll hold you to it." V dropped into his stance and called chakra up, watching Kisame's moves carefully. Kisame's eyes were alight in anticipation.

"Let's begin!" Kisame charged at him. V sidestepped to dodge then cried out in agony as his arm was ripped by the wrapped sword; Kisame had swung it around in time to graze V's skin. The wrapping tore away exposing the large blade covered in shark teeth. Cursing for his slow reflexes, born of physical exhaustion, V spun and skidded across the ground. He hadn't moved an inch when Kisame threw him into the cliff behind him and drew the blade across his torso. Blood sprayed the rocks and the air was forced out of his lungs. Again came the sword and pain blinded V as his body was literally shaved raw by Samehada.

When a pause formed in the attack V blinked and focused his eyes. "Too easy" sneered Kisame "Your how old? You should still be in ninja school. It's not even fun" He complained.

Panting in pain V spat at Kisame. "I'm 15. And I'm a former Jounin of the Village hidden in the Mist." Satisfied at the look of disbelief which spread across Kisame's face V summoned the chakra and sent a jet of water, heated by fire, at Kisame. His own personal jutsu; V put enough force behind the attack to rival a tsunami. Kisame's surprise barely registered to understanding and even fear before the jet struck him full on and sent him flying into the cliff. An avalanche of rock broke loose from the cliff but was blown away by the strength of the jet. When V released the jutsu, Kisame collapsed, limp, than vanished in a pool of water. _A water clone_. Just in time V twisted through the air and struck Samehada away. V maneuvered and grasped the blade, ignoring the pain and landed a kick at Kisame's head. At the same time he met his mark, large teeth stabbed into his hand, protruding from the blade.

They broke apart. V landed unsteadily, looking down on his blood soaked clothes and the ravaged skin still oozing blood. The wound was severe. Samehada had done its work brilliantly. _Damn I forgot about his sword. I can't afford any more lapses._

Kisame's smile returned "Oh? The insect isn't as weak as he looks. But a Jounin of the Hidden Mist? Their level has gone down."

V bared his teeth "I'm not usually this weak." At the same time his hand touched the outline of a black gem on a necklace beneath his shirt. As much as it aided in the control and protection from his greatest enemy and friend, it also stole away much of his chakra, and blocked even more from use. He'd obtained it very recently after he was forced to leave Hidden Mist. He could feel the blood seeping out, he was losing too much, and he was still worn from the past weeks. V knew he would not lose, but he feared how badly his wound's would be if the fight went on. "I'd kill you but I'd prefer not to; i need you to get into Akatsuki." He knew his statement was arrogant, and foolish, but rash action was the only kind he could think of to use at the moment.

Kisame opened his mouth to respond when another voice interrupted and shattered the still-budding atmosphere of battle.

"I like him Kisame nee-chan!"

V and Kisame both turned to view an odd, boyish sounding figure with an orange mask. Kisame immediately glowered "Tobi…"

"Can we keep him? I like him! I'll bet Diedara will think so too. I can train him!" Tobi inquired eagerly and V was forcibly reminded of a puppy. Taking advantage of Kisame's distraction from V, he began to heal himself, staunching the blood and knitting his skin back together.

Kisame looked at loss. V was curious to know how quickly the normal 'Akatsuki' attitude had fallen away at the appearance of the odd figure with the mask. Kisame was the source of many nightmares from V's home village, and here he was stuttering and awkward before a hyper active boy-man; like an older brother before his little cousin. The contrast was all the more considering their combat only heartbeats earlier. "Kisame!" Tobi whined again...Four hours later, V stood facing the inside of the official Akatsuki hideout with Tobi bouncing by his side

Pain, the official head of the Akatsuki group, had accepted V's arrival easily after hearing Tobi's enthusiastic illustration of the fight, and Kisame's somewhat reluctant praise. His initiation was quick. Pain, using a holographic version of himself- nothing at all like a physical self, which made V interested to know what the real Pain looked like, as the copy only showed a outline and eyes- used ninjutsu to examine V. Looking for anything that may mark him as a liability to be destroyed. V passed with no trouble and Pain stuck him in the position of an apprentice. However, as a newbie to Akatsuki, he was beneath even Tobi. Neither of them were actual members and therefore they both owned neither the black and red-clouded cloak, nor the Akatsuki ring.

With Tobi assigned to escort V until Akatsuki found use for him, V swiftly picked up much about the infamous group of S-class criminals. It only took a short time to realize that the dynamics between members were highly similar to the relationships which he'd seen between normal people in his travels. In fact, it seemed as if the criminals known for their extreme blood lust and skill in undercover and open crimes, had an equally extreme opposite side to them. It took V nearly 30 minutes to fully realize that life at the formal Akatsuki hideout between missions and meetings was more like what you'd find in a ninja training school. At the moment Tobi was giving him a tour.

"That's Itachi and Kisame's room!" Tobi pointed out excitedly while kicking down the door. It was certainly an odd site that greeted them. Kisame, bandaged from the burns he'd received in the short fight, was arguing with his roommate, and current partner, Itachi Uchiha.

"You washed my bedsheets?! How dare you!" Kisame was howling, oblivious to Tobi and V. Itachi was glaring at Kisame, though V thought there might be a hint of a smile- there was, Itachi was smiling on the inside.

"It smelled. All your stuff smells. The only thing remotely clean on your side of the room is that old fish-tank with nothing in it."

"There is too something in it! His name is Paco. I already showed him to you!" Kisame protested stupidly. V remembered to shut his mouth, which had been wide-open in astonishment at the infamous Kisame's comment.

"If I can't see it with even my Sharingon then it doesn't exist." Itachi said stubbornly. Then he proceeded to spray a flowery smelling scent around the room.

"AHH!" Kisame yelled and rushed out, knocking Tobi over and still oblivious. Itachi was chuckling in a deep voice. He broke open the top of the spray can and poured the contents over Kisame's bed and tossed the can aside then turned to V and Tobi.

"What?"

Tobi shrugged, his voice bright. "I'm showing V around!"

"V?" Itachi turned his gaze to V "Ah. Kisame told me about you." The dark haired Uchiha seemed almost curious. He opened his mouth to speak but at the same time a powerful smell wafted over to V and Tobi. They gagged.

"Ack! Itachi that's too much!" Tobi cried. They backed out of the room.

Itachi merely stared at them "Really? It's perfect."

"Can you even _smell_? Itachi, Ick!" Tobi grasped V's arm and yanked him away.

One by one V was shown the kitchen, a few bathrooms, and the multiple bedrooms. Aside from Itachi's and Kisame's room, it seemed as if everyone else had separate rooms. V asked Tobi about this. His reply was that since Itachi 's and Kisame's target was the Kyuubi, who was well-guarded, they needed more time to collaborate. Hearing this reminder of what Akatsuki was after, and of how much danger V would be in if his real strength was exposed, V's hand had twitched towards his necklace.

"This is your room" Tobi had opened the door to a simple space. Nearly completely empty aside from a desk and small bed "It's plain but you can decorate it! Huh? Hey! V-kun!" Wait, V-kun!" Tobi whined. V had left and strode away down the hallways. As Tobi ran after him he searched for the door Tobi had missed.

"We can get more stuff for your room! Wait! V-kun!" Tobi caught up and walked along side him. "Zetsu-san has a lot of stuff. He doesn't use any of it. Let's ask him?"

V ignored Tobi and stopped at a large brass door. Tobi's voice cut off at the same time. V ran his hand over the door; he could feel a large open space behind it, and bodies.

"Move." A deep voice spoke behind them. Tobi jumped but V, already aware of Itachi's presence, just stepped to the side.

"What's in there?" V asked. Itachi ignored him and formed a seal. With a click the door cracked open, through which Itachi went. Thinking fast, V concentrated his own chakra and a small cat appeared at his feet. The cat flattened to the earth and slipped under the invisible crack between the floor and door.

Tobi's eyes widened "You summoned a cat? But don't you need a scroll or blood?"

V shook his head "It's not a summoning jutsu. I manipulated my chakra into the shape of a cat. This way I can get through the door and see what's going on without being detected. The chakra doesn't flow past the cat's body and therefore will stay unnoticed by even the most talented shinobi."

"Whoa wow! Teach me that V-san!" Tobi bounced on his toes excitedly.

V shook his head "No. More specifically, you won't be able to learn it. Now let me concentrate I want to know what's happening."

"Eh? V-san?"

V shut his eyes and listened. He could pick up voices, but did not recognize any individuals aside from Kisame, Itachi, and the outline of Pain.

"Our jinchuuriki is well guarded. Konoha will not be a simple matter to break into."

"Oh? Itachi is scared of a few ninja and a half-grown idiot?"

"Quiet" (Pain's voice) "Now is not the time to make a move on Konoha. All missions will be put on hold. Kisame, though you have been ignorant so far, you surly noticed the immense chakra reserves our new 'apprentice' has."

"mm. He is young but he knows both healing techniques, and high level ninjutsu."

"Your standards have fallen if you are impressed by a boy." V cocked his head at the gruff voice. "I cannot die. I will not be underrated next to a child."

"This is good for you Hiden. Put the boy to the test."

"Don't test me Konan…"

"We will all test him." (Pain's voice) "Diedara, Hiden, Itachi, Kisame, and you Konan, will spend the next week pushing him to his limits. If he dies then so be it. But that boy has huge potential and i want to use it. He had a massive chakra reserve suppressed within him."

"Is he a jinchuuriki? hmm?"

"Of course not, we've obtained most of them, and we have the whereabouts of the last three. Don't make lame comments Diedara."  
V recognized Kisame's voice.

"Seems hasty. You did not put Tobi through this." (Konan's voice)

"….Tobi is a different case..." (Pain)

"Waste time playing with some child instead of continuing our preparations?"

"You will do it."

-silence-

V pulled away and glanced at Tobi, the bright swirling orange mask he wore turned towards V. _Why did Pain pause before mentioning Tobi? Their attacks on me won't be trouble; it's why I came, to get stronger. Although it is odd they would pause their work with the bijuu to check me out. I can't have them looking to closely. It could be dangerous. But that other part… What is it about Tobi?"_

"What did they say? They won't let me into their meetings yet. And Sasori isn't even here anymore. There's an opening! It's been enough time, they should just let me join already. But they won't."

"Why's that?"

"Zetsu says it's not an easy process. But I don't believe him, he just doesn't like me. I wonder why?" Tobi paused then leaned against the hallways way. "Tobi's a good boy."

Those last four words were spoken in such a manner that the hairs on the back of V's neck rose. So innocent in their surface meaning, but a shiver shook V's spine. "I'm going to my room." He headed off. Tobi called after him but didn't follow.


	2. A Cookie Story (Ch 2)

V lay flat on his back, tracing the blade of a kunai with one hand and tapping the floor uselessly with the other. He'd remained like so for the past day after listening into the meeting of the Akatsuki members. Soon after the meeting had entered he had heard the group call for Tobi, who then let out a very loud 'Yippee!' which V took as meaning Tobi was official now. Frustrated with his lack of answers to the questions that formed about Akatsuki more quickly than they were answered and annoyed further by the zero progress he'd achieved in his training, V felt no reason to leave his room. He'd regained his strength for the most part and only waited for whatever test the Akatsuki leader had mentioned in the mystery room at the back of the Akatsuki hideout.

However V hadn't wasted his time. While there, he'd sent out a chakra cat to retrieve a book he'd lost during his short fight with Kisame. It'd taken a more time to recover from that, but the reward was all the info he'd gathered on Akatsuki previous to his arrival. Study had been his main pastime. Though he had also entertained ideas about the room the members had met in. At first he'd thought it was whatever room which lay behind the sealed boulder he hadn't been able to break through, but dropped the idea when he remembered that they had ran quite a ways, and at a high speed, before reaching this new place.

"Hey, hey! That's too much Itachi! Way too much! Cookies don't need to cook that long. They're supposed to be soft on the inside." A loud voice complained. V paused to try and listen. Feeling oddly curious he let the kunai fall to the ground and left his room to head towards the voices.

The spectrum which greeted V was worth breaking his 24 hour solitude. It was an interesting sight to say the least, and reinforced what he knew to be true; that if Akatsuki has an extremely violent side, they also have another, opposite extreme. Kazuku- whose death had been elaborately faked previous in order to get him out of range from the Konoha ninjas-, Hiden- Kazuku's former partner and another one who had to be rescued-, Itachi the sharingan user, Kisame the shark man, and hyper-active Tobi; all huddled in an extremely messy kitchen/ living room. Tobi was bouncing beside Itachi who, by the smell, was baking cookies. The others were lounging against walls; talking about who knows what; taking advantage from being freed from any missions.

"Aw Kazuku you really do like me!" Hiden yelled in his odd accent.

Kisame, who'd been observing Itachi and Tobi at first, whipped his head around to face Kazuku and Hiden. "What? Hiden found a friend? That's so cute. Hiden and Kazuku. That's just like us isn't it Itachi?"

"…Never." Itachi growled, giving a very Itachi-esk glare towards Kisame.

"Shut up Kisame!" Kazuku grunted

"Don't get too soft on me Kazuku. You're not supposed to be a cookie." Hiden snickered, his voice loud and high pitched as always. It gave V a headache. He couldn't imagine why the Akatsuki had rescued Hiden, or even the creepy stitched-up Kazuku, from a fight instead of letting them die (at least in Kazuku's case) and just grabbing the rings. (Tobi had told him the story the other day. Hiden was dug up out of the ground and Kazuku switched with a fake using a forbidden replacement technique.) Tobi nodded enthusiastically at Hiden's hint that he agreed cookies should be soft on the inside.

Kazuku snarled at his partner. "I'm going to kill you Hiden."

"Like you could." Hiden snorted "You like me too much. You just won't admit it." He reached over to put an arm around Kazuku's shoulders.

Kazuku shoved him away, " Moron."

"Itachi the cookies!" Yelled Tobi again.

"Kisame." Itachi said pointedly.

"Huh?" Kisame cocked his head then his eyes widened. "Oh, right. Don't bother Itachi in the kitchen, Tobi."

"He's burning them." Tobi whined "He always burns them."

Itachi froze. Tobi and Kisame both stiffened. Itachi jerked slowly around and stared at Tobi, murder written all over his face. Tobi hurriedly scooted back. Kazuku, seeing what was happening and grimacing- though V suspected his grimace wasn't because of Itachi as much as it was because he was receiving a headache as well from Hiden's obnoxious voice- left the room down another hall. Hiden, who could care less about anything, smiled in anticipation at Itachi.

"Sorry?" Said Tobi hesitantly

Kisame shook his head. "You'd better do better than that"

Tobi fell to his knees "I'll bake you cookies later?"

Hiden laughed- V flinched. "Tobi's will be better."

Kisame sighed as Itachi's eyes turned red. The Uchiha turned his sharigan onto Hiden. Almost immediately Hiden-who'd stupidly looked at Itachi- collapsed to the floor. Seeing this Tobi begged "I'll be your slave if you let me live."

"Bad idea..." Kisame muttered. V wondered why.

Itachi's mouth twitched, but instead of angry he looked satisfied. "Fine. Turn up the heat on the oven."

Horror spread over Tobi's face but it was too late, he was already Itachi's slave. As if it were physically painful for him Tobi upped the heat then slouched back to Itachi, who seemed appeased.

They remained like that for nearly ten minutes with Tobi looking more dejected every second. Kisame had taken to poking Hiden's motionless body with Samehada during the wait. V, now thoroughly interested in the outcome, waited in his hiding place in the hall. Finally the timer beeped and Itachi pulled out a pan of solid black cookies. Smiling in a way that was not good, he tipped them onto a plate and handed them to Tobi. "Eat."

Tobi looked up at Itachi and V wished he could see Tobi's face. "You're my slave right?" Itachi reminded Tobi.

"Itachi…." Tobi whined

"Eat." This time Itachi's voice was dangerous. Tobi gulped loudly then took a bite. There was silence, and then he passed out.

At the exact same time Hiden woke up a screamed like a banshee "Arriee! That was WONDERFUL!"

Itachi and Kisame spoke at the same time. "What the hell?"

V, deciding Hiden was obviously insane, laughed then escaped back to his room like a scared rabbit. He was strong, but even the strong try to avoided the insane. Insanity like Hiden's looked contagious. Besides, it's not like he wanted to be seen by them, not after Pain's order. No burnt cookie was worth fighting them all at once.


	3. Testing Begins (Ch 3)

_**Author's Note:**  
_

This is a combination story of serious andnot. Kisame happens to be one of may favorite characters in the Naruto series so he will come up often in my writing. Any criticism/comments are welcome since I am very new at writing fanfiction. And for those who haven't picked it up yet, I will end a majority of Deidara's phrases with 'hmm.'

I do not own the Naruto story or characters (except V obviously)

* * *

_It is well known that a shinobi of old fought the monster ten-tailed beast and sealed it inside himself. Knowing that this mythical monster would walk once more with his inevitable death, he sacrificed himself and split the chakra of the ten-tailed beast into nine. Thus, the nine mythical tailed beasts were created. It is known to only one, however; that the monster with ten-tails, divided into nine, still existed. Nearly unnoticeable at first, it grew powerful over the years. It was a small group of shinobi from the Hidden Mist village whom stumbled upon the recovering Bijuu, hidden in a cavern beneath the earth. It awoke at their presence and even in its weakness, showed incredible murderous power. The Bijuu's shape formed and they realized whom it was they faced. It was pure chance that a young woman with her infant child had passed overhead. In desperation to stop the growing creature, the six shinobi sealed away the Bijuu into the child. The effort drained their chakra and all six died. With an explosion of chakra, the child, though an infant, killed his mother. Alone in the ruins of a collapsed cavern the child lay until he was found, surrounded by bodies, by a patrol from the Hidden Mist._

Pain, blinding agony! Flames leapt at V, eating away at his body. The ruins of a village smoldered in heat around him, and screams rang audible just barely through the roar of the fire.

Sweating and tangled in his sheets, V woke with a start. His heart hammered painfully against his chest and he turned and retched over the side of his bed. He stared at the ceiling, just breathing. _It's been a long while since I've had that nightmare…_ Upon sitting up he found his body to feel weak and disconnected. Breathing deeply V set about his morning routine of dressing in his normal white shirt, navy blue pants and black gloves. He splashed water on his face from the bathroom which stretched off the side of his room; trying to rid the images from his mind.

KNOCK KNOCK

V turned towards his door, frowning. "Yeah?"

"You're wanted. Hmm."

_Diedara_. V propped open the door. "For what?"

"Like I know." Diedara snorted "They woke me up at this hour to get you. So get your butt out there. Hmm."

"Where?"

"Outside you artless moron." Diedara grumped. Apparently he was very unhappy about his beauty sleep being cut short.

"Who?"

"Enough with the questions!" He cried and walked off. Frowning more deeply now, V worked his way out of the Akatsuki headquarters. Kazuku was sleeping on a couch, but aside from him and Deidara, no one moved inside. Outside V found Itachi and Kisame standing by a tree, waiting for him.

_Oh? Am I to be 'tested' finally? Fine with me, it's about time I got some action. Akatsuki's been too…tame… so far. _And it was true. He had been at the hideout for a week now and aside from the arrival of Zetsu from whatever solo mission he'd been on, almost nothing had happened. Sure there was the daily excitement over whatever new movie Konan picked up. She was at the hideout for no more than ten minutes, long enough to drop off a movie, pick up the old one, have Kisame try to get her to play a game with him, have Deidara hit on her unsuccessfully, and leave. As for V, he had been spending time with Tobi, his empty room, and Kazuku- whom he now found oddly fascinating. So with one thing or another he was thrilled that it looked like the orders he'd overheard Pain give were finally being followed. "What's up?"

Kisame grinned, his hand moved towards the handle of Samehada. "Wait." Itachi ordered without breaking eye contact with V.

There was silence, than V spoke. "So am I right to say that your both going to fight me?"

Itachi merely observed him. Then, "We are to assess your abilities."

"Great." V replied, and he meant it. He felt great, fully recovered. The nightmare echoed faintly in the back of his mind but he ignored it. "So?"

"This time I'll shave you till there's none of you left." Kisame smiled, his pointed teeth glinting in the sun.

"Sure, sure." Said V patronizingly.

Itachi still stared at him. But then he blinked, and upon opening his eyes the red of the sharingan appeared. V immediately averted his eyes but at the same time Kisame moved. V avoided Samehada by millimeters, leaping off his hands backwards to escape the shaving edge of the blade. He kicked off from the ground and twisted in the air in a series of kicks at Kisame. Then using the shark-man's very weapon against him, V got a hold of Kisame's own arms and maneuvered them to send Samehada at its owner. There was no way he would actually touch the sword; not after he discovered massive spikes shoot out if anyone but it's owner grabbed it. Kisame dodged and sent V flying away with a strike to his stomach. They spared in silence with increasing intensity, neither managing to draw blood. The best way to describe the fight, aside from it being purely taijutsu so far, is to call it a dance. V mirrored Kisame's moves and dodged rather than blocked the powerful hits. One would find a hole and go for it, and the other would block the hole before any damage could be done.

During the whole time V was acutely aware of Itachi waiting and watching off to the side. It unnerved him how the Uchiha made no movement, but as long as it looked like he wouldn't join the fight, V focused on Kisame. They broke apart; V skidded across the ground, his teeth bared. Kisame was panting and grimaced. "Oh? You've improved."

"I'm not tired anymore." V narrowed his eyes, judging Kisame. V had joined Akatsuki because of the many rumors surrounding them. He knew Kisame's style of fighting through the Hidden Mist's notes on him, but had expected more from the S-class criminal.

"A child's answer. I'm not _tired_" Kisame mocked. He glanced at Itachi "So much fuss over such a weak brat."

Itachi said nothing. V was beginning to think the Uchiha had missed the first six years of his life and never learned how to speak.

"I wonder," Kisame continued "What I should do after I leave you bleeding to death on the ground. Should I just finish it up and slice you to ribbons? Should i feed you to Paco? Or i could just let you rot. Sharks are cannibals but since I don't fancy the idea of eating you, I could have Zetsu clean up instead. Any preference?"

V snarled and Kisame responded with a wide grin. Seeing the obvious taunt in Kisame's expression, sudden rage flooded V's mind. He rashly summoned chakra to his right hand. The hand's skin darkened to black and hardened, silver claws grew out of the tips of each finger. Then in his palm, a black swirl of chakra formed like a mini-tornado. White spark flew from it as it spun at immense speeds in his open hand. With a roar V charged at a tree to the side of Kisame. When Kisame dodged, V ricocheted off the tree's trunk, his feet splintering the bark with force, and flew directly at Kisame. He raised Samehada to block, but too late. V felt his skin rip away from the side of his body at the same time as his clawed hand connected with Kisame's chest. With an explosion they were forced apart. V slammed into the trees, snapping two of them. Dust bellowed up in clouds and black chakra from his jutsu dispersed, vanishing only after it had caused violent damage to all it touched.

When the smoke cleared the first thing V registered was Itachi, standing cool and collected far off to the side, untouched by V's jutsu. The next was the space in front of him. The immediate area was cleared of all foliage, torn up by their roots and shredded. The space beyond this, for nearly 300 meters around; every tree and plant was withered and dead.

V searched for Kisame automatically. _There! _With savage pleasure he saw a limp body beneath the red-and-black cloak of Akatsuki. As abruptly as it had come, the rage vanished and V moved to stand up. Sharp burning pain ran up and down the right half of his body like razor blades and he halted immediately. _Damn, again.._. He cursed to himself. The white of his shirt was ripped to expose raw skin, soaked in blood. The wound extended from the side of his torso down to just above his knee, Kisame had aimed well. V began to heal the wound, wearily watching the motionless body of Kisame, and Itachi, who had begun to approach him.

Itachi's gaze went from Kisame to V. "That jutsu. What was it?"

V froze at Itachi's expression. He knew he couldn't lie about the jutsu. _But I need to distract him! Crap Crap WHY did I use that?! _"Kaze Kage (Shadow wind). I developed it myself." His mind raced for something to sidetrack Itachi.

"Kaze Kage… It uses a lot of chakra."

"That's why only I can use it." V explained. He stood shakily, the bleeding from his wound staunched but not healed. He headed towards Kisame. "You don't care about you partner?" Far from being surprised; he wanted to move Itachi's suspicious face from him. It had been beyond stupid to use that jutsu, and even more so that chakra; especially considering he stood before an Akatsuki member.

"Hmph." Itachi shrugged "If he was weak enough to get hit by that then he deserved it."

"Oh? Is that why you didn't help me?" V jumped, startled, as Kisame emerged from the trees. At the same moment the Kisame who lay motionless melted into a pool of water. "Interesting jutsu, it actually almost worked."

V's temper flared at the hint that he was weak in Kisame's tone. Making a fast decision to act instead of participating in the usual banter; he drew a kunai and let his wind chakra flow down the blade. He charged, "This time I won't miss!" Kisame dodged, but V used one hand to produce a clone. His clone intercepted Kisame and although V's kunai missed, he managed to land a hard punch directly into Kisame's face. The shark-man's head snapped back and he was thrown; however, he vanished once more in another pool of water. "No!" V spat. Sick of the water clones he turned his attention instead to Itachi. When V's feet hit the ground after his kick against Kisame, he crouched and swept out a foot to strike the Uchiha. Itachi skipped over his leg and turned the red-glare of sharingan on V.

Fire! Flames eating hungrily away at his body and at the bodies of those around him. Unforgivable pain which consumed the mind and chased all rational and irrational thought. A path cleared in the flames and V watched as people burned in the fire. Faces charred, but still recognizable. His sensei, his comrades, that old man he had helped, a child whom he once encouraged. People he had known, suffering in the fire he began. People who lived their lives around water yet met their death in fire, because of his lack of strength to fight back against his worst enemy's influence. V cried out to them, struggled to help, but no matter what he tried nothing worked. His chakra wouldn't respond; he couldn't call water to put out the flames. He was helpless to do naught but watch the fruits of his weakness destroy his home. They used to hate him, but just when they had opened up to him, he had betrayed them. Now with hellish fire around, horrendous black chakra leaking from his body; he hated himself as they had once hated him.

Fear and panic took over V's body and he hollored out over and over, screaming his voice raw; to no avail. Then with the faces of those he betrayed imprinted in his mind, the flames reared up against him again and black over took his vision.

**Back in the Hideout**

Diedara yawned widely. It was bad enough Kisame had woken him in the middle of his best dream, (He'd received an awesome prize for blowing up the Eiffel tower. Of course blowing something up made it all the more valuable in his eyes.), but now Tobi was following him around like a leech. The irritating newbie had ruined his chance at falling back asleep.

"I'm going to watch the fight. Hmm." He glared at Tobi as if to say _don't follow me._ But of course, Tobi went.

"Who do you think will win Senpei? I bet Itachi will. Who do you think? Huh?" Tobi circled him excitedly. "I know let's make a bet. I bet on Itachi, if I win you owe me…." Tobi trailed off, apparently deep in thought about what Deidara will owe him.

Jumping on the chance Deidara joined in. He agreed with Tobi that Itachi would come out on top, but there was no way he would admit that, so, "I'll go with the kid." _Kisame nearly lost last time, there's no way I'll bet on him_. Deidara thought. "If I win you have to leave me alone."

"But I can't! I'm your new partner, Pain said so."

Deidara glowered at the floor, considering this. "Fine then you have to be my slave... Which means you'll have to exactly what i say including shutting up."

"I'm already Itachi's slave..."

"Then make a clone you dolt! Accept my terms or I'll have Hiden use you for his next ceremony. He owes me after I ruined my nails digging him up. Hmm." It wasn't just the nails Deidara wasn't happy about. Because Hiden had been blown up Deidara considered him to be art, -even if he was ugly art-, and in Deidara's eyes no art should be fixed.

Tobi brightened. "If I win then we can use my team name. Ooh! And lets get matching t-shirts!"

Deidara groaned. Tobi had been trying to sell him the name 'The Tobara Team', or, 'Triple T', ever since Pain had made them partners. Though at least with t-shirts-

"Oh wait you can't see them under the cloak... Matching arm-bands!" Tobi added

Deidara groaned again. _There goes my loophole. Hmm. I'll think of something better later. Maybe trap him in Sasori's old room... _At the image of the late-Sasori's puppet and pink filled room, with his desk covered in... enthusiastic... photos of the Akatsuki members, Deidara smiled. That would be a great way to get back at Tobi in-case he actually won. Relieved at having solved that problem, Deidara relented and shook hands. Obviously that made the bet official.

BOOM!

A massive explosion shook the ground, interrupting the conversation. Deidara wobbled unsteadily. Escaping, er , leaving, Tobi, Deidara sprinted outside. Shock caused him to step back. Tobi ran up beside him. "Senpai! Whats-" He stopped as he saw what Deidara was looking at.

The trees and underbrush had been ripped away, leaving the rock and earth bare. Kisame was crouched nearest to them, battered looking but otherwise unhurt. Itachi was upright; teeth clenched and immersed his genjutsu. Itachi's sharingan was focused on the immobile form of V. V was defiantly worse for wear, his body soaked in dry and new blood. His mouth was open in a silent scream. But it was another scene, one which not only Tobi and Deidara, but Kisame as well, were focused on. There was a shadow emerging from behind V. Deep black and giving off a murderous feeling. From what Deidara could tell the shadow was made of chakra, seeping from the wound on the side of V's body. It grew in size and strength by the second.

"Senpai, is that a dog?" Tobi asked hesitantly "Should we do something?"

"No... it's a cat?" Deidara paused. The shadow was beginning to take form behind V. It looked almost like a wolf, but the small movement it made was too fluid, too flexible, to be anything but a cat. A smothering presence seemed to overtake him and Deidara's body began to shake uncontrollably. Then Itachi let out a choked scream and Deidara really fell apart. Itachi? Itachi screaming? Unheard of! But it the noise was unmistakable. Itachi stumbled backward and turned away, doubling over and retching. Kisame ran and lifted Itachi on his shoulder, retreating. V, released from the sharingan, dropped to one knee. He shook his head and the growing creature of chakra behind him lost its shape and dispersed into the air.

V collapsed, as did Itachi, limp on the shoulder of Kisame. Deidara and Tobi met Kisame's gaze, silent. Deidara wasn't sure what they'd just witnessed, but whatever it was, it was sure to change everything. He found his voice. "Get Pain."


End file.
